Group Company of the Month: SCI

Sumitomo Electric Carbide, Inc. (SCI) was established in 1979 as a sales and marketing headquarters in the North, Central and South American markets for Sumitomo Electric’s Hardmetal Division, which produces and sells cutting tools. SCI supports the auto, construction machinery, oil and aviation industries in the Americas, along with its manufacturer, Sumitomo Electric Carbide Manufacturing, Inc. (Milwaukee, USA) and its distributors, Sumitomo Electric Hardmetal de Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (Aguascalientes, Mexico) and Sumicarbide Canada, Inc. (Toronto, Canada).

A report from SCI in Chicago, a cutting tool sales and marketing company that supports the manufacturing industries, such as the auto and aviation industries, mainly in the U.S.

【Reporter】Takayoshi Kimura
Assistant Manager

Striving to enhance organizational cohesion by promoting effective communication and information sharing among staff members

I’m a member of SCI’s Administration Dept., which is responsible for sales strategy planning and profit management. During fiscal year 2012, our department helped set up a sales and service firm in Toronto, the financial capital of Canada, where the economy is booming due to growing demand in shale gas and oil. Through this firm, SCI will offer improved technical support to enhance customer satisfaction. Our department is currently facing various new challenges to respond to surging raw material prices and improve our IT platform to launch a full-scale online shopping service. On top of these challenges, our department is striving to help increase market share in collaboration with other departments.

Our department is also responsible for providing support for sales staff members, who cover huge market areas. To promote effective communication and information sharing among staff members, we are rebuilding our inventory management and sales support system with a server newly installed in our office.

To enhance organizational cohesion, we sometimes host barbecues, golf events and a Christmas party to encourage nominication (the Japanese word for communication while drinking) among staff members. On such occasions, staff members enjoy communicating with their colleagues, beyond language barriers.

This year, our department is participating in a project for ensuring stable procurement of tungsten, a raw material for cutting tools. Through this project, we aim to make contributions in terms of raw material supply, in addition to product distribution.

■Profiles of Local Staff Members

Shashi

Hello, everyone! I joined the company in 2008 as an IT staff member. Making use of my four years’ experience as an English teacher in Chiba Prefecture, I serve as a mediator between Japanese programmers and SCI local staff members to build and improve key systems.

Chicago offers the convenience of the big city with the peaceful living of the countryside. On weekends, I enjoy playing with my four-year-old son in the park and visiting the aquarium and museums downtown.

Renee

Hi, everyone! I’ve been with SCI for 28 years. I am the head of the customer service and logistics division. While I work, I always try to keep close watch on my 20 staff members, product quality, costs and delivery schedules. Through my career at SCI, I’ve learned to listen carefully, learn hard, and practice patience (laughs).

In Chicago, you can enjoy a wide variety of cuisines including American, Chinese, Greek, German and Japanese foods. Please come and visit Chicago!

【Places of Interest】Chicago, the U.S.’s third most populous city located in the center of the country

U.S.’s third most populous city

Chicago is the third most populous city in the U.S. after New York and Los Angeles. Located in the center of the country, Chicago has flourished as a major transportation hub for a long time. Evidence of its long history as a center of transportation can be seen in Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, said to be the second busiest airport in the world, and Union Station, a major train station in Chicago. Chicago is also home to McDonald’s, the famous hamburger chain.

President Obama

Chicago is where President Obama lived during his college days. Chase Tower, where he met his wife Michelle, and the restaurants he used to frequent while he was a student at the University of Chicago, are now tourist attractions.

Natural surroundings of Chicago

Chicago conveys the strong image of a city of skyscrapers, but it has rich natural surroundings too. To the east of the city is Lake Michigan, one of North America’s Great Lakes. In summer, many people enjoy the beaches along Lake Michigan. In Chicago’s suburbs are many golf courses that blend in with magnificent natural surroundings. In Chicago, you can enjoy a short course at low prices, starting from US$15.00. I used to hate golf, but I’m beginning to enjoy golfing under the pleasant summer sky in Chicago.

Mystery of Mount Prospect

The SCI head office is located in the town of Mount Prospect. Although the town’s name includes the word “Mount,” the town is actually flatland with neither mountains nor hills. According to legend, the suburbs of Chicago used to be ill-drained marshlands. It is said that the first town mayor incorporated “Mount” into the town’s name to erase the negative image and encourage people to settle in the town. For reference, neighboring towns like Arlington Heights and Prospect Heights are also flatlands, although their names can be associated with highlands too.

Company Profile

Company name

Sumitomo Electric Carbide, Inc.

Established

May 1979

Business

Sales of carbide, CBN and diamond cutting tools, and technical support